


Chewing through the ropes

by crookedspoon



Series: Exchange Fics [78]
Category: Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII, Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Dubious Consent, Imprisonment, M/M, Manipulation, POV Tseng, Painful Sex, Power Play, Rape/Non-con Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:47:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24951058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crookedspoon/pseuds/crookedspoon
Summary: Although Rufus has been placed under house arrest in the Turk headquarters, he still holds all the cards. So far he has kept them close to his chest, and maybe that is what unsettles Tseng about the man: the knowledge that he could, at any point, start playing them, and leave Tseng with a losing hand.
Relationships: Rufus Shinra/Tseng
Series: Exchange Fics [78]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/51139
Comments: 12
Kudos: 42
Collections: Nonconathon 2020





	Chewing through the ropes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Noceu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Noceu/gifts).



> This takes place somewhere in the middle of Before Crisis. I provided a spoilery summary at the end of this chapter in case you need a refresher.
> 
> Many thanks to N for discussing this with me and for spot-checking!

The cell door clicks as it unlocks, and the hydraulic mechanism pulls it aside long enough for him to slip through. Tseng does not miss a beat, although inside his nerves are rattling about as much as the tray he's carrying. It's hard to say why exactly, but there's something disconcerting about Rufus Shinra, something that is not diminished by his posture of ease on the unmade bed or the apparent unconcern with who is entering his cell.

Or indeed that he's in a cell in the first place.

Perhaps it's that very air of unconcern with his situation – the knowledge that, despite his detainment, he is no prisoner here – that does it. The knowledge that he is still the one in power.

Or perhaps it's the fact that he would plot with enemies of Shinra to have his own father assassinated. All for his personal gain of becoming the next company president.

Not that it's Tseng's place to judge. These past few months he has come to realise that his own loyalties do not lie with the company he works for – they are adjacent, surely, but if push came to shove, betrayal would be on the table.

A dangerous thought, yet one for another day. With luck, that day may never come.

"Your dinner," he says as he places the tray onto the plain wooden table.

Everything here is plain and serviceable, more than enough for regular detainees, but too sparse perhaps for the vice president of the biggest company on the planet. The computer system his father had set up for him is the most modern thing in the room and takes up most of the space, leaving barely enough for a wardrobe. Rufus's white suit jacket is folded over the back of the single wooden chair, for lack of a place to hang it.

The Turk headquarters weren't designed to hold anyone for long. This cell is an interim solution, meant for the waiting period between a target's initial capture and the inevitable order to dispose of them.

Not a fate that would be in store for Rufus Shinra.

"Leave it on," Rufus says as Tseng is about to remove the lid and set the table. 

His voice comes from right behind Tseng, and Tseng can almost feel him at his back, as if the other man cared nothing for personal space. Or as if he were trying to unnerve Tseng. Whatever games he's playing, they're not working, and Tseng gives no indication of whether or not he was startled by Rufus's sudden proximity. 

He straightens slowly and turns around, acutely aware of the locked door behind him – locked once again. There is nothing on his person that can be used as a weapon – either by him or against him – as protocol dictates. Which doesn't mean that Tseng is defenseless, but he'd rather not have to use physical force against the vice president. Tensions have risen between the Turks and President Shinra not least because the president had falsely accused Veld, the former director of the Turks and Tseng's mentor, of being the mole who leaked information to Avalanche. If Tseng were to lay a hand on Rufus, the president would likely misconstrue it as ill intent rather than self-defense.

Deftly, Tseng sidesteps so Rufus could take a seat should he want to.

The edges of Rufus's lips twitch in the semblance of a smile.

"Remind me again how long I have been here."

"Thirteen weeks, sir."

"Thirteen weeks without contact to the outside world – excepting you and your colleagues, of course."

Tseng knows for a fact that the president keeps in touch with his son, but then again, unwanted calls are not what Rufus is referring to.

"I do not mean to imply that you have not been forthcoming given the circumstances. Quite the opposite: you have been most hospitable."

Tseng inclines his head, unsure of where this is going.

"Yet going that long without, shall we say, _companionship_ would make any man lonely, wouldn't you agree?"

"I'm sorry, sir, but the location of our headquarters is top secret." The way Rufus is fixating him with his eyes makes it difficult for Tseng to keep his voice neutral and unwavering. "We cannot allow visitors in here."

"That is too bad." Rufus steps closer, not exactly menacing but not entirely friendly either. "In that case, we'll have to find a compromise, won't we?"

The backs of Tseng's calves collide with the bedframe and Tseng instantly stiffens. 

"My father has made you the new director of Administrative Research, correct?"

"Correct."

"And he has tasked you with finding and neutralising the former director."

"Yes."

Rufus crosses one arm in front of his chest and touches the side of his face with the other as he studies Tseng. 

"But you're not going to do it," he says finally.

A chill runs through Tseng. He must be more transparent than he considered himself to be. If Rufus can see through him, how much does his father know? He has no choice but to pretend that he doesn't understand what Rufus is implying.

"Sir?"

"It's obvious, is it not? You're too loyal to kill off your former mentor in cold blood. Instead, you're stalling until you figure out a way that somehow gets you both out of this situation alive."

"Sir, I have no—"

Rufus waves him off. "Spare me the theatrics. I've read your file. You value people more than the fate of the company, no matter the cost to your own. A commendable trait, though useless to my father. Dangerous, even."

Tseng opens his mouth, but Rufus holds up a finger to shush him.

"This is something that he never understood: that not everyone can be bought with money."

"With all due respect, sir, you're making a lot of assumptions about me and my ability to do my job."

"So, what you're saying is you're just another one of my father's spineless lackeys who pride themselves on their paycheck rather than their principles?"

Pressing his lips together, Tseng averts his eyes. He knows he's being set up, and while he had little trouble schooling his features when he first received the order to neutralise Veld, he finds himself curiously unable to lie about his intentions here. 

Rufus smiles. "Thought not."

This is bad. Rufus basically got him to admit that he is contemplating to betray the company. All without having to say so. If that information were to leave this room, it could mean the end of Tseng, maybe even the end of the Turks.

"Just so you know," Rufus continues, as if to reassure Tseng, "I don't care what you decide. My father was wrong to antagonise Veld – and by extension, the Turks – to this extent."

A surge of anger rises to Tseng's throat, making him clench his jaws tighter. If it had not been for Rufus leaking classified information to the very group dedicated to toppling Shinra, Veld would never have been accused of being that leak himself.

"I have an idea of how to get you out of this situation. You and Veld, of course. My father won't suspect a thing."

"Why?" Tseng asks, eyebrows drawing together. "Why would you help us?"

"Why would I not? I'm basically on my own here and could use an ally within the Turks." He smiles. "And if I get to pull one over on my father in the process, all the better."

There, that is a reason Tseng can believe.

"Besides," Rufus says and curls his fingers beneath Tseng's chin. "There's a way to make this mutually beneficial to us."

Tseng's breath halts. The visitors—the _companionship—_ that Rufus asked for earlier... Cold sweat forms at his temples. There is no way Tseng could deny him that forever. Even if Rufus would not complain about this to his father expecting him to handle it, he will be the president himself one day, with all of the company's resources at his disposal. Tseng would still have to work with him then. 

Which leads Tseng to an impossible decision: does he smuggle in escorts and potentially risk the location of their headquarters becoming public knowledge, or does he...? No, he can't ask that of his subordinates.

It would have to be him. That way, no one else would have to know about the arrangement.

Rufus seems to think so, too, because he tilts up Tseng's face and leans down for a kiss. 

Tseng has more than enough time to move before Rufus's lips meet his own, yet he finds himself paralysed. Coming to the conclusion that this is the best outcome for all parties involved and actually going through with it are two different beasts entirely.

Tseng's inaction – and most importantly, his failure to outright refuse – seems to be the encouragement that Rufus needs, because the next thing Tseng knows, Rufus is tugging at his tie and deepening the kiss. 

Tseng balls his fists. He tells himself this is something he has to do. There is too much at stake. Not only does the president expect that all of his son's needs are met without question, he would be too happy to use any opportunity to shut the Turks down. The conversation they just had would present opportunity enough, whether the president believed his son or not. Tseng can't risk Rufus revealing that. He has to keep his people safe.

Tseng _could_ use the conversation and turn it against Rufus, informing President Shinra that his son is planning to undermine him again. However, if there's even a small chance Rufus can help him and Veld, Tseng has to take it. And besides, it would be advantageous to have an ally of Rufus's standing once he returns to his position in Midgar. He may not wield much power during his exile, but that is not forever, and he still has access to classified information. 

Whichever way he turns this, rationally it's the best decision for all parties involved. Emotionally, however, it's another matter.

Tseng screws his eyes shut as Rufus invades his mouth with his tongue. Shivers wrack his spine. Rufus has opened Tseng's jacket and is feeling him up beneath it, sliding his hands over his sides, his chest, his back, and holding him close, as if he is feasting on the simple pleasure of having a fellow human being in his arms.

He makes short work of Tseng's dress shirt, unbuttoning it with a rapidity and finesse that come from years of habitude. And Tseng... he lets it happen. He doesn't struggle, but he also doesn't lift a finger to help.

Not that Rufus seems to mind. Tseng can't imagine that he'd enjoy being with an unenthusiastic partner, but between that and no partner at all, Tseng's lack of participation still wins out.

"We have to hurry," Tseng murmurs against Rufus's mouth. "If I stay much longer, the others will wonder where I am and it will only be a matter of time before they come looking here."

When he more or less agreed to do this, for some reason it didn't occur to him that Rufus might want to take him up on the offer right away. The possibility existed inside his mind, but it was a vague thing, like earthquakes or lighting strikes – the odds are vanishingly small, especially here in Midgar, where no tectonic plates connect and the only clouds in the sky are plumes of pollution.

Rufus pushes out a breath and undoes his belt.

"Very well," he says, taking out his cock, "I expect you know what to do."

With a small exhale of his own, Tseng settles on his knees. And becomes uncomfortably aware that his own cock had been stirring in response to Rufus's attention. He would have preferred not to have noticed.

But what's done is done. His main goal should be getting this over with so he can leave and regain his bearings.

So he gently curls his fingers around Rufus's erection and flicks his tongue against the tip while trying not to think about what he's doing. It's as though he's in a bad dream where everything is spiralling towards ever more absurd events.

Rufus slides his fingers through Tseng's hair, setting off a chain reaction of pins and needles across his scalp. Tseng shudders. Strands slide out of his hair tie as Rufus cups the back of his head. The grip is secure and his arms obscure Tseng's vision – whether the move was calculated to have Tseng focus solely on Rufus or not, it makes Tseng feel boxed in. No way out but through.

He takes a centering breath and closes his eyes as he engulfs Rufus's length with his mouth. Rufus groans and strokes his thumb over Tseng's cheek, the gesture almost painfully intimate.

"That's good," Rufus murmurs, his cock sliding insistently between Tseng's lips. "You'll want it nice and wet."

All Tseng can do is focus on keeping his breathing steady and his mouth slack enough for Rufus's use. 

"I'd love to keep this going, but you mentioned time is running short?"

Somewhat dazed, Tseng stares up at Rufus. His lips are slick and tingling. His face is pulsating. He blinks.

Rufus throws a pointed look at the bed, and that's when it dawns on Tseng: Rufus is not satisfied only fucking his mouth. He swallows. It's as Rufus said, there's no time for second thoughts and no time to panic.

He steadies himself with one hand on the mattress as he rises. His feet are unsteady, but luckily – or unluckily – he won't be needing them for the next few minutes.

He opens his mouth to ask whether Rufus wants him on his back or on all fours, or even on top, but then he realises that he'd much rather not be thinking about any of this at all. He'd much rather look at the wall than at Rufus and ignore everything that's happening until he can finally leave.

Rufus's gaze is hot and hungry as he watches Tseng unbuckle his belt and push his trousers to his knees. They are going to crease like this, but he can't worry about that now. It's a strange detail to fixate on, anyway.

Just as Tseng is about to turn around, Rufus reaches out to tuck Tseng's loose strands behind his ear. His hair tie has long dropped to the floor. His hair is brushing the tops of his shoulders now.

"I hope we can take it a little slower next time, hm?" Rufus flashes him a small smile before dipping his head and placing his lips to Tseng's neck, just above his collarbone. 

Tseng's stomach twists just as he feels a little pinch. Not only is Rufus already thinking about the next time, he's leaving Tseng with a souvenir. He sucked a mark into his skin that would not be visible above Tseng's collar, but that Tseng would be aware of for the next few days. It's already become a point of focus.

He rubs over the spot as he lowers himself onto the bed. He doesn't waste time searching for a comfortable position, as none of this is going to be comfortable. The scent of Rufus's aftershave and shampoo wafts from the pillow and Tseng is enveloped by whiffs of smoke and citrus.

His whole body twitches when Rufus lays his hands on Tseng's buttocks to pry them apart and then again when Rufus slides his spit-slick cock between them, as though every touch were charged with electricity. His heartbeat picks up and so does his breathing. He does his best to wrest it back down, but when something blunt prods at his anus and pushes in, all he can do is hiss.

What starts as a burning discomfort slowly edges toward knifelike pain the deeper Rufus penetrates him. Tseng grits his teeth and shoves out breath after breath, trying to relax, but it does little to alleviate the sensation. 

This should be nothing. Tseng has had worse and soldiered on, but then again, he's never had the vice president violate him before. 

Rufus is gripping his hips hard enough to bruise and he's shoving his cock into Tseng as though he's nothing more than a cheap toy. Tseng's own cock is swinging limply between his thighs, his earlier arousal gone. 

Just a little bit longer. He can do this. He _has_ to do this. 

Rufus's thrusts are becoming close to unbearable but Tseng is not going to give Rufus the satisfaction of seeing him in tears. That is not the Turk way. Let him take out his frustrations on Tseng for keeping him locked up all these months. Tseng is just following orders and keeping the company safe from Rufus's deleterious machinations.

Or, he has been, until just now.

It wouldn't be the first time he'd defied orders. He'd already been skirting close to becoming a traitor by letting Veld live this long. There is only so long he can claim not to find the man before President Shinra begins to question his credibility. But at least his flouted orders had never landed him in bed with his son before.

It's too late to wonder whether he's making a mistake, but he doesn't have to trust Rufus yet. He can still play both sides and find out what Rufus is up to in case he needs to back out and side with his father. He has no idea how sustainable that particular move will be, but he has to do what's best for the Turks.

Finally, Rufus's thrusts are becoming erratic. Tseng can no longer suppress the pained groans that Rufus seems determined to force out of him. He's ramming himself deep and finishing inside Tseng with a spasm of his hips.

Tseng collapses onto his elbows with a sigh of relief. As long as they're both catching their breath and staying perfectly still, the bright, hot pain in Tseng's lower half has a chance to subside.

Neither of them say anything, but once Rufus has sufficiently pieced himself back together, he laughs softly under his breath and smacks Tseng's ass. Tseng winces when he pulls out. He feels stiff and carved hollow, but the only pulse beating inside him is his own and that has to count for something.

Behind him, Rufus has already zipped himself up before Tseng has even managed to get back on his feet.

With arms like lead, Tseng buttons himself up mechanically. He watches a satisfied smile tug on Rufus's lips as the man moves in again. He places his hand on Tseng's neck and brushes his thumb over the mark he sucked there earlier.

"Come back before that has faded," he says and places a soft kiss on Tseng's lips.

Tseng only ducks his head and nods, not looking up at Rufus again, but it seems to be enough. Rufus turns away, leaving Tseng to straighten himself as best he can. His fingers are trembling as he's trying to do up his trousers. His entire body is cold and clammy. 

He wonders whether he's made the right decision.

**Author's Note:**

> So, Before Crisis. Throughout the game, Rufus has been funding Avalanche and leaking information to them. President Shinra eventually suspects Veld, the former commander of the Turks, to be the mole and fires him. After some to and fro, President Shinra appoints Tseng to be the next commander of the Turks and orders him to take care of Veld, which of course he doesn't do, because Veld's his mentor. Eventually, President Shinra finds out that Rufus is actually the leak and orders the Turks to capture him and lock him into their secret headquarters that no one but the Turks know the location of... where he stays for four years? Somewhere close to the end of that time, when the Turks' heads are themselves on the chopping block, Rufus conspires with Tseng to make it look like Tseng actually killed Veld, so that Rufus can appeal to his father not to have the Turks executed, because look, they did what you asked, they can be trusted again :) So far the summary. I just decided to speed up the process a little for porny reasons, as one does.


End file.
